Trump Doubts Venezuela Opposition Can Lead After Maduro Ousted

US President Donald Trump stated that the opposition leader of Venezuela does not have the "respect" of the country's people to rule after the alleged kidnapping and coup against President Venezuela's Nicols Maduro by the United States (US) military forces.

The US led a series of attacks in the South American country on Saturday morning, kidnapping Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flying them out to the US to face drug terrorism charges.

Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Corina Machado celebrated the operation and capture in a statement, calling it the "hour of freedom."

"As of today, Nicolás Maduro faces international justice for the atrocious crimes committed against the Venezuelan people and against citizens of many other nations. In light of his refusal to accept a negotiated solution, the Government of the United States has fulfilled its promise to uphold the rule of law," Machado stated as quoted by ABC News.

Trump, who claimed he had not been in touch with Machado, said in a press conference on Saturday that he does not believe Machado can assume a leadership role in Venezuela.

"I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country. She's a very nice woman, but she doesn't have the respect," Trump said.

Trump also announced that the US would "run the country" of the country during the transition of a new leadership.

"We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Trump said. "And it has to be judicious, because that's what we're all about. We want peace, liberty and justice for the great people of Venezuela."

The US forces kidnapped and flew out Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from Venezuela on Saturday morning in what President Donald Trump described as a dramatic overnight operation.

Trump stated that the United States will lead Venezuela until a "safe, smooth, and smart" transition is guaranteed.

Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York filed charges on Saturday morning, accusing Maduro and Flores of smuggling "tons of cocaine" into the United States, among other alleged crimes.

Critics have warned that the attack violates international law, bypasses the US Congress, and risks further destabilizing Venezuela and the wider region.

Anti-Maduro Citizens' Reactions

Political analyst Liz Alarcn, an expert in Latin American affairs and a US Latino, dismissed the notion that Machado was not respected by the country during her appearance on ABC News Live.

When asked if there's a chance for Machado to lead the country, Alarcn replied, "That is exactly what exists already."

"What we want to see is, of course, the support of the entire international community, including the United States, to oust an illegitimate leader like Nicolás Maduro from the country ... but we also want our will as Venezuelans inside and outside of the country to be respected," she said.

Alarcn stated that the desire includes Venezuela being led by leaders such as Machado or Edmundo Gonzlez Urrutia, who ran against Maduro in last July's election.

In her statement, Machado called on the military to recognize Gonzlez Urrutia as the legitimate president of Venezuela.

Independent polls claim Gonzlez Urrutia received two-thirds of the votes, with the US stating there is "overwhelming evidence" supporting his victory. However, Maduro claimed he won the election and refused to hand over power.

ABC News Global Affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz told "Good Morning America Weekend" that it is still unclear how the military will respond to Maduro's ousting and the US continues to monitor the situation.

"Today, we are ready to enforce our mandate and to take power. Let us remain vigilant, active, and organized until the Democratic Transition is achieved -- a transition that requires each and every one of us," Machado said.

Alarcn told ABC News Live that many Venezuelans are celebrating Maduro's fall but want to ensure that his regime is not replaced by a similar one.

This includes not swearing in Maduro's allies who are still in Venezuela or other figures who do not respect the "democratic will of the Venezuelan people," she added.

"What I would like to see is for those still in power in Venezuela to receive guarantees, to exit peacefully, and to give way to the liberty that so many Venezuelans here in Doral, where I live... were screaming and chanting and wanting and that means liberty from everyone and to see the country governed by those who we elected," she said.

Venezuelan-American journalist Jos Enrique Arrioja, speaking to Gio Benitez of ABC News, referred to the operation as a "shocking series of events" and a "historical moment" for Venezuela and Latin America.

Arrioja, who has covered financial and political markets in Latin America for over two decades and serves as the managing editor of Americas Quarterly magazine, stated that the operation shows a bold new strategy that the Trump administration will take in the region.

"It has been a very [mixed] reaction. The situation in Caracas as we speak right now, Gio, is calm. People buying groceries, buying basic staples ahead of might be vary uncertain week, if not months, ahead," Arrioja said.

"We have a regime that was widely unpopular since last year when they usurped power after the July 28 elections," he claimed. "It has been just dealing with an increased repression, more authoritarian regime."

Maduro's Supporters Condemn US Operation

While many opponents celebrated Maduro's arrest, his supporters condemned the US for carrying out the operation.

Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez gave a speech on government television demanding Maduro's release and stating that he is the country's only president.

"We had already warned that an aggression was underway under false excuses, under false pretexts, and that the masks had fallen and it had only one objective: regime change in Venezuela -- and the capture of our energy, mineral, and natural resources," she said in Spanish.

"That is the true objective, and the world and the international community must know it."

"We have convened this National Defense Council. ... From here, we demand the immediate release of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The only president of Venezuela: President Nicolas Maduro."

Rodriguez called on civilian and military personnel nationwide to move and defend the country.

"United as a nation, the Venezuelan people will find a path of peace and calm. Those who resort to force, those who resort to violating international law -- they do not have right or reason on their side," she said.

"We have historical right and moral right on our side, and we will stand firm in defending peace, calm, Venezuela's future, the people's claim to their homeland, and their right to hope and social well-being."

Rodriguez's comments demanding Maduro's "immediate release" contradict what Trump claimed that Rodriguez spoke to Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a "long" phone conversation held on Saturday.

Trump stated that Rodriguez expressed readiness to cooperate with Washington and that "she's essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again."

Read: Trump Claims Cubans Killed in US Raid to Capture Maduro

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